how to get guaranteed tee time at st andrews old course

Full Answer

How do I book a tee time at St Andrews Old Course?

Securing a St Andrews Old Course tee time can be a complicated and confusing process. It requires more than a call to the reservations department, a click of a mouse or a tap on a tablet to book your tee time.

Can you play golf around St Andrews without playing the Old Course?

It sounds sacrilegious to say it, but your group could play a week of golf around St. Andrews without playing the Old Course and it would still be arguably one of the best itineraries in Scotland. Seven miles east of town, the spectacular and modern Kingsbarns Golf Links is a top-10 course worldwide.

Can I get a guaranteed tee time on the Old Course?

Many tour operators, travel agents and intermediaries may claim to have access to a guaranteed Old Course tee time. In reality they may deliver no more than assistance to give you the chance of a guaranteed tee time in a lottery, without the certainty that you require to plan your itinerary.

How do you get tickets for the 150th open in St Andrews?

The R&A has announced that for the first time ever, general admission tickets for the 150th Open in St. Andrews will be awarded via ballot. The ballot is open from July 1 thru October 4th.

How do I guarantee a tee time at St Andrews?

To catch the sweet spot of a guaranteed tee time at close to the regular green fee rate, you can make a direct application for a Private Advance Tee Time (PATT) to the Reservations Team at St Andrews Links Trust (SALT).

Can anyone play the Old Course at St Andrews?

Anyone can play golf in St Andrews. Of the town's 10 golf courses only the Old Course requires a handicap and there are plenty of options depending on your budget.

How hard is the Old Course at St Andrews?

The 17th on the Old Course is considered to be one of the most difficult holes in all of golf. On a course labelled the “Home of Golf” there are always going to be tests that push your golfing ability to the limit. The Road Hole is for sure the toughest test.

How far in advance should golfers who want to play the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland contact the club?

It is drawn 48 hours in advance of play and golfers should provide their names, home club and handicaps either online, by phone or at one of the clubhouses before 2pm, two days before the day they wish to play. To enter there must be a minimum of two and a maximum of four players.

Do you need a caddie at St Andrews?

The St Andrews Old course has restrictions on use of trolleys (pull carts) - they are only permitted after 12 noon between April and October. A caddie is therefore essential for many golfers who would not wish to carry their own clubs.

What handicap do you need for St Andrews?

36 or belowThe Old Course at St. Andrews requires all golfers to have a handicap of 36 or below. Muirfield and Royal Portrush Golf Club are a little more restrictive, both requiring an 18 or better to play the course (24 for females at Royal Portrush).

Which is the hardest course at St Andrews?

The Jubilee CourseThe Jubilee Course is considered by most locals to be the most difficult course at St Andrews. It is the closest course to West Sands Beach and is therefore the most exposed to the elements. The course has gorse lined, narrow, fairways and tough sloping greens.

Is St Andrews a difficult golf course?

The course isn't the most technically challenging, but teeing off in front of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club is as nerve-racking as it gets.

Which is the best course to play at St Andrews?

After initially getting your bearings, play the St Andrews New or Jubilee courses. Both of these links courses are underrated and don't get the credit they deserve because they live under the shadow of the Old Course. The greens on the New and Jubilee are typically faster than the Old Course.

How much for a round of golf at Augusta?

There are roughly 300 members of Augusta National, and being invited by one of them is the quickest way to get a round in at the famous course. Members are allowed to bring a guest on the course for a relatively small fee of $40.

What is a 36 handicap in golf?

High Handicap The highest allowed handicap by the USGA is 36 for men and 40 for women. However, anyone with a handicap above 20 is generally considered to have a high golf handicap.

How do you play single at St Andrews?

As a single golfer, assuming Covid-free times, you can apply for a Private Advance Tee Time direct from the St Andrews Links Trust mid-August in the year prior to your intended visit (e.g. mid-August 2022 for play in 2023).

How do I play the Old Course?

The best and most assured way to play The Old Course is to purchase one of our guaranteed tee times with three fellow golfers. These are available...

Are Handicap Certificates required?

Yes. All golfers playing The Old Course are required to present a valid handicap certificate to the starter before commencing play. Handicap limits...

When do I need to provide all of my information?

To confirm your advance tee time reservation, we will require full names and valid handicaps for each member of your playing party at time of booking.

When is The Old Course open for play?

St Andrews Old Course is open year round, but is closed for play on Sundays.

How many courses are there in St Andrews?

St Andrews Links itself has some seven courses, including The New Course, Jubilee Course and Castle Course, while no golf trip to St Andrews is complete without experiencing the phenomenal Kingsbarns Golf Links, around 10 minutes from the town centre. Leading accommodation providers, both of which are perfectly suited to meet the needs ...

When is the best time to play St Andrews?

Heading up to this special part of Scotland between November and March each year can see you experience playing at The Home of Golf for a considerable saving compared to the Summer. To keep the course continually playing throughout ...

When do fairway mats open in St Andrews?

These include fairway mats on St Andrews golf courses between November - February with it being extended to March for The Old and Castle Courses. There are also potential delays due to frost but the courses always play to full greens with no temporaries in play.

Is St Andrews Links a clockwise loop?

Today's course is a unique challenge, following approximately an anti-clockwise loop running out to the Eden Estuary and back into town.

Is St Andrews a dream?

For many golfers playing The Old Course at St Andrews is a dream; something seemingly unattainable or beyond their reaches. It's certainly a round of golf with a great deal of urban mythology about price, availability or exclusivity.

How many days before the old course is open to play?

The Old Course holds a tee-sheet ballot every day the course is open to the public, and golfers (minimum of two) can enter the drawing, which is announced two days prior to play (so Wednesday tee times are announced Monday afternoon).

How much does it cost to play the old golf course?

Depending on the exchange rate, the 2018 green fee to play the Old Course is 180 pounds, which is about $250.

How many golf courses has Tucker played?

To date, his golf travels have taken him to over two dozen countries and nearly 600 golf courses worldwide. While he's played some of the most prestigious courses in the world, Tucker's favorite way to play the game is on a great muni in under three hours.

What is the maximum handicap for Dunhill Links?

Maximum allowed handicaps are 24 for men and 36 for women. The Old Course closes for golf and turns into a public park every Sunday with the exception of days it hosts a tournament like the Dunhill Links or Open Championship.

Where is Kingsbarns Golf Links?

Seven miles east of town, the spectacular and modern Kingsbarns Golf Links is a top-10 course worldwide. There are five other courses in the town operated by the Links Trust besides the Old Course, the best being the New Course and Jubilee Course, both true links playing on the same soil as the Old.

Where is the birthplace of golf?

If you've ever put a tee in the ground, you've no doubt thought about what it would be like to play a round in the birthplace of golf: St. Andrews, Scotland. A common misconception of the famed Old Course at St. Andrews is that it's an exclusive, private club like Augusta National. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Is the Old Course Hotel the official hotel of the Old Course?

While the Old Course Hotel comes into play on the famous Road Hole, it's not the "official" hotel of the Old Course and its access to tee times isn't much better than any other hotel in town. When Herb Kohler bought the hotel, he also bought the Duke's Course about a mile outside of town.

What is SGH golf?

SGH Golf is an Authorized Provider of Guaranteed Old Course Tee Times, we offer luxury golf trip packages to play the world-famous Old Course at St Andrews. The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest and most famous golf course in the world and is known as “The Home of Golf”. Golf was first played on the links of St Andrews in ...

When was the first golf tournament played?

Golf was first played on the links of St Andrews in the early 15th century. The Open Championship was first played on the Old Course in 1873 and will once again host the 150th Open Championship in 2020.

When do links tee times become available?

These tee times typically become available in April the year prior to play and are usually completely sold within a matter of days. Translation: Plan early. Direct Application – The Links Trust accepts applications for tee times in the September prior to the next year’s season.

How many players are needed to play St Andrews?

Entries can be made via the St. Andrews app or by phone and require a minimum of two players. Singles Queue – Each day, The Old Course fills a number of open slots via the Singles Queue. These spots are filled by the Starter when The Old Pavilion opens at 6am, and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

How early can you enter the old course ballot?

Ballot – Nearly half of all Old Course tee times are awarded by lottery, known officially as the Old Course Ballot. The ballot is drawn 48 hours prior to the date of play, and must be entered by 2pm each day. So, for example, a group hoping to play on Wednesday would need to enter the ballot by 2pm on the Monday before.

Will the 150th Open be played in 2022?

In addition, the postponement of the 150th Open Championship means there will also be fewer tee times available for The Old Course in 2022. At risk of sounding like a broken record, any golfer hoping to play The Old Course over the next two years needs to plan early.

Can you play the old course at St Andrews?

While this means that anyone can play The Old Course at St. Andrews, securing a tee time at The Home of Golf is not as simple as phoning the pro shop. Here’s what every golfer needs to know when planning a golf trip to St. Andrews. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

Will there be fewer tee times at St Andrews in 2021?

The full effect on guaranteed tee times is still being measured, but thanks to thousands of postponed St. Andrews golf trips, there’s certain to be fewer times to go around in 2021 and 2022. In addition, the postponement of the 150th Open Championship means there will also be fewer tee times available for The Old Course in 2022. At risk of sounding like a broken record, any golfer hoping to play The Old Course over the next two years needs to plan early.

Where to apply for a private advance tee time?

To catch the sweet spot of a guaranteed tee time at close to the regular green fee rate, you can make a direct application for a Private Advance Tee Time (PATT) to the Reservations Team at St Andrews Links Trust.

How far in advance can you book a tee time on a golf course?

They are, however, allowing single golfers to book a tee time on any course 24 hours in advance by calling the Links Clubhouse +44 (0)1334 466666 the day ahead. For the Old Course this will only be possible if there’s been a cancellation after the ballot has been drawn.

When will tee time be allocated?

Authorised Providers will know their actual tee time allocation in July 2020, but you may be able to secure a package by going on a priority wait list beforehand. So the earlier you get in touch to discuss your requirements with me the better chance of being offered an Old Course time that suits.

Can I visit St Andrews without a guarantee?

Many golfers choose to visit St Andrews anyway, without an Old Course guarantee. If you are keen to visit the home of golf but do not have a guaranteed time then I can: Help you with you a ballot-friendly strategy. Organise an appropriate itinerary which allows you multiple attempts at the Old Course ballot.

Can you get a guaranteed tee time in a lottery?

Many tour operators, travel agents and intermediaries may claim to have access to a guaranteed Old Course tee time. In reality they may deliver no more than assistance to give you the chance of a guaranteed tee time in a lottery, without the certainty that you require to plan your itinerary.

Is St Andrews Links closed?

However, with all courses closed in 2020 for several months and travel restrictions and quarantine measures in place, St Andrews Links Trust (SALT) made the decision to offer reservations on any course the opportunity to reschedule to 2021 or 2022.

Is the R&A tournament rescheduled for 2021?

The decision of the R&A to postpone the Open Championship for a year means the tournament originally scheduled for July 2021 has now been rescheduled to July 2022.

How to Play the St Andrews Old Course in 2022

This brief outline will help explain all the different methods that can be used to obtain a tee time on the Old Course at St Andrews.

Advanced Application Process

Each year, St Andrews Links has an allocation of tee-times that are sold directly to clients. Applications are accepted for these tee-times during a two-week period in August and these are drawn randomly by a computer. We can assist you in the application process but you must submit the forms directly.

The "Ballot" (Lottery)

Nearly half of Old Course tee times each year are allocated to the Ballot to give people who have been unable to book a chance of playing. It is drawn 48 hours in advance of play and golfers should provide their names, home club and handicaps two days before the day they wish to play.

The Lineup (Standing-By)

There are normally between 10 and 20 spaces on the Old Course each day that the starter will fill in with golfers that are registered on the stand-by list. Any golfer wanting to walk on will need to report to the Old Course Pavillion on the day they wish to play.